As I sit here watching my mom spend her last days in the hospital, I know there will be no headlines when she passes, no news flashes, there won't even be a funeral. She won't have any statues dedicated to her or people speak on how if it wasn't for her medical cures would have never been found. My mom was just a housewife, most of her time. She was a decent mother, at times great, but she had her downfall, who doesn't? Many will remember my mom for her whistle that would call us home every night as kids, or that umpire that called balls and strikes. Some will remember her when she was a Christian clown by the name of Checkers, or their squad leader in C.A.P. some remember her as Judi the crazy mother of the head chef, (when we owned our restaurant). My mom has no real trophies, but she is in the Akron Softball Hall of Fame. She was a great coach, and even tougher umpire. (She would throw someone out of a game in a heartbeat, mom didn't take no shit!) She was a certified bowling instructor and my coach for many years. She coached me through several Christmas tournaments, I have so many trophies its not even funny. She even coached me to top ten in the Nation my junior year in High School, she knew how to coach. Her and my father were the first couple to ever umpire a NCAA Division I baseball tournament in the early 80's (that same weekend the men's Olympic volleyball team threw me around the pool like I was a basketball, I was maybe 7). My mom can build a mean model ship, airplane or rocket. Make a dinning room table, kitchen cabinets, or even our back deck. Give her a broom and dustpan she get confused?? She loved the days of coaching Holly Hills softball, and squad leader of C.A.P., she knew how to get people to be their best, do their best and achieve levels of greatness at whatever it is she mentored in. I remember my moms finer moments and have forgotten about her downfalls. She would yell at me for not calling more often and my response would be, you have fingers too! The last 15 years have been rough for me and my sister with my mom. It's tough watching someone you truly care about just let themselves wither away. When she got diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 2005 we knew it was the start of the end. Which leads us to now. Not quite as I pictured my mom leaving this Earth. But who really can picture how your parents are supposed to go. She has touched so many lives in small ways its tough to list them all. She has been in the hospital 7 weeks and all the nurses leave in tears, they love my mom so much. When I said my mom never has had many trophies it's not true. Many of us are her trophies touched by her only in the way my crazy mother could. so since her hash mark is not that long it is full of great memories of fantastic woman (who had her quirks and enjoyed them). So as I sit here watching her, Go with God, sit by his side, I'm sure he has some cabinets that need built, plumbing that needs fixed or a nasty habit of putting it in the gutter on the ten pin. (Move 9 boards left and flatten it out, works every time mom!)

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